February 11, 2018

Q. Welcome to Doha. Just first off, what have the last few weeks kind of looked like for you in terms of how long were the racquets in the bag once you got back from Australia or were you back on court and kind of what was the focus for the last few weeks on the training court?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Well, I had time to rest and to prepare after the Australian Open. And I went back to Switzerland, and I actually went pretty fast to the court. I did a lot of tennis, actually. I wanted to forget a little bit how the first season went, and I felt to just spend hours on the court and tried to in that way just keep doing it. Yeah, a lot of training and preparation.

Q. And physically how are you feeling? I know you were kind of dealing with a bunch of little niggles in January so how at body feeling as you head into it tournament?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: I'm feeling better. I didn't know to expect the way things went. I was good before as well. So right now I'm happy that all these training days have went well and I feel better. So hopefully nothing happens until I have to compete.

Q. And Conchita. That's some big news, big announcement. Can you kind of talk through kind of how you came to make the decision and also maybe just what the plan is going forward? I understand it's just for the hardcourts and then maybe you guys will talk?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yeah. Well, yeah. It's a little bit of a new experience for me. Conchita and I we've known each other since I was little. And she's always been a little bit in the shadow, you know, helping me here and there. And of course, everybody saw me and her in Wimbledon, and we had the best success possible. But I've always get along with her very good. And I thought, you know, that it might be a good idea to have her in the next couple of tournaments into Miami. And yeah, just share more and have this new experience. I was looking for this experience. Sam is continuing being my main coach but I think it's going to be interesting.

Q. What vibe does -- sometimes when you have a team and a tight team like you have and you introduce another person it can kind of change things a little bit. So what's the vibe that Conchita brings to the team and is that what you were kind of looking for?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: The vibe. Well, I think she's a very calm person. And she has a lot of experience. This is not easy to find and it isn't easy also to get in this difficult competition environment to get along with somebody very good. And I feel I have an amazing team, and I think I have one of the best coaches in the tour, which is Sam. And now also some experience that is going to help me, the Conchita mind. So yeah, I think it's good.

Q. You guys didn't talk about like what it was like back in the day when she was on tour and when she kind of tells you her experiences and things like that. Does it sound similar to kind of what things are like nowadays on tour? I mean what can you take from what she tells you and what do you feel like things have changed a little bit where maybe sometimes the advice doesn't click as much, if that makes sense?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yeah. It is a bit of different years, but at the end, you know, she's also been a tennis player. And those things are there. You know, the mental part or the game and just the traveling or just a woman that has been tennis player. And it's difficult to handle. I don't know. Just in general. I don't see something specifically. But just good to have her.

Q. Garbine, are you following the Olympics at all?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: The Olympics?

Q. Yeah. The winter Olympics?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: No. (Laughs). I'm like, hold on. What year is it. No. I mean no, and I know there is right now I know they are doing it, but I don't follow the Olympic sports.

Q. Okay. In the winter?
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yeah. I just -- yeah. I don't really like winter. So I kind of don't follow a lot of things.

Q. Has there ever been like a winter sport or something that you've seen on TV that you thought was cool that you would love to try or do or is it really --
GARBINE MUGURUZA: Oh. No. No. I like when they jump with the skis.

Q. Okay.
GARBINE MUGURUZA: That's cool. But I don't understand really the goal. But like the rules and stuff. But no. I just -- it's tough for me to see all these winter sports.